Telephonic apparatus.



No. 737,242. PATBNTED AUG. 25', 1903.

M. R. HUTGHISO-N.

TELEPHONIC APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1902.

H0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q vHn wooeo A m-wanton No. 737,242. I v PATENTED AUG. 25, 1 903. M. R. HUTGHISQN. TELEPHONIG APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.11. 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ll i'mrrljo- STATES Patented August 25, 1903. A

PATENT O FICE.

MILLER REESE HUTCHISON, OF UPPER MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGN OR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, .TO HU'ICHISON ACOUSTIC COMPANY, A COR- PORATION on NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,242, dated August 25, 19 03.

Application filed April 11' 1902 Serial No. 102,338. (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern: Beit known that I, MILLER REESE HUTCHI- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Upper Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, h'ave inventedbertain new and useful Improvements in Telephonic Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This inventionis a portable telephonic-ap- |o paratus intended to be used by persons wit-h impaired hearing; and it consists of a box or casing containing a telephone transmitter and receiver, a battery, and suitable switching devices, the casing being constructed to :5 cooperate with the transmitter in a mauner to collect sounds and concentrate them upon the diaphragm of the transmitter, whereby the entire apparatus is adapted to be usedin a room or hall to enable partially-deaf persons to hear speech, music, or other sounds which are ordinarily heard by persons with normal hearing powers. The apparatus is furthermore devised to be of simple and compact construction and easily and quickly manipulated. Q

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section 0 showing the interior mechanism in elevation. The telephonic apparatus is inclosed in a rectangular box A, two opposite sides of, which, a and a, are hinged to the rear wall I) of the box, so that they can be swung out- 3 5 ward laterally when desired. The box is provided with a false bottom'c, forming a space a, in which is located a lever d,'pivoted atd' and extending through a slot 61 in'thefront wall of the case, where it is provided with a 0 handle 01 The slot contains notches (1 into any one of which the lever can be set to hold it in position. At equal distances each side of the pivot cl links e and e are respectively connected and extend thence to the respec 5 tive Walls'of the box a and-a. Thus when the handle is moved through the slot the said walls are caused toeither open or close, depending upon the. direction of movement of here shown in detail. is a small hinged cover a through which the the handle. Parallel to each of the closed side walls a and a are partitions f and f,

which, together with the remaining walls of the box, form an inclosure in the forward end of'which are located a number of batteries g and immediately back of these a tilting support or table-h and back of this a telephone-transmitter T. The transmitter is of cylindrical shape, containing the usual diaphragm and the electrodes (not shown) and is in this instance mounted to rotate upon the small ends of two sound-conducting funnels *t' and i, the funnels being fixed at their larger ends to the respective partitions f and f, said partitions having concentric circular openings leading into the funnels. The said openings are located near the hinges ofthe walls a a or at the apexes of the triangular space formed by said walls when they are open. To the transmitter is fixed a concentric pinion t, which is connected by a gearsegment l on the end of a lever Z, which car- 7 rice the support h. This lever is pivoted to the bracket 0 and has attached to it a spring .9, which tends to swing it on its pivot. On the rim of the transmitter is a pin 19, which is adapted to be brought forciblyinto contact with a stop '19 when the transmitter is rotated, as will behereinafter described. The

support his adapted to carrya telephone-receiver R, the weight of which is sufficient to overcome the spring 8, and thus hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3.. This telephone-receiver is supposed to be connected in circuit with the transmitter and a battery in the usual manneiythe circuits not being receiver can be reached and removed from the box for use. The pin may be used in connection with the stop p as an electrical switch or cut-out to throw the instruments 9 into and out of circuit with the battery g.

The apparatus is to be used as follows: The box being small and light can be carried to anyplace desired by the person using it, such as a place of amusement or to the house of a 95 friend. It may, in fact, be used at any place where the possessor may be. The sides of the box'are thrown open by moving the han- In the top of the box dle d to any point desired, the open triangular space thus formed being then directed toward the source of sound-such, for instance, as toward the stage at a theater or other place of amusement. The telephone receiver is then lifted from the box, whereupon the lever Z, being relieved of its weight, is swung on its pivot by the springs. This rotates the transmitter through about a half-turn by reason of.

the engagement between the segment and the pinion, the rotation being stopped by the pin engaging with the stopp. The rotary motion of the transmitter and the shock which it sustains when the pin strikes the stop are sufficient to loosen the granular electrodes of the tranmsitter and put it into good Working condition. At the same time if the pin and stop are used as a switch the instruments are put into circuit with the battery and become operative at once. Sounds approaching the apparatus enter the triangular spaces formed by the open side walls and are deflected laterally and inwardly through the openings in the partitionsff, through the funnels '1: z" to the diaphragm or diaphragms of the transmitter, which transmits them over the circuit to the receiver held at the ear of the user of the apparatus.

Good results can be obtained under certain conditions without opening the sides of the box in the manner described by uncovering the funnels by opening the small doors (1 Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A box or casing, a telephone transmitter, receiver and battery adapted to be housed therein, said box or casing having a movable wall adapted to receive sounds from an external source and direct them to the housed transmitter, substantially as described.

2. A box or casing, a telephone-transmitter therein, two opposite walls of said box being hinged and adapted when open to direct sounds to the transmitter.

3. A sound-collecting device, consisting of abox having movable, converging sides, in combination with a telephone-transmitter contained in said box the sides when open forming a passage to direct sounds to the transmitter.

4. A box or casing, in combination with a telephone-transmitter therein, the box provided with two hinged walls, a system of levers connecting with said walls whereby the movement of one wall will cause the movement in the opposite direction of the other, the angular position of the walls serving to direct sounds to the transmitter, substanially as described.

5. A boxor casing, provided with openings in two of its sides, a telephone-transmitterin line with said openings, hinged Walls of said box or casing opposite said openings whereby sounds will be directed by said hinged walls through the opening to the transmitter.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILLER REESE HUTGIIISON.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, WALDO M. CHAPIN. 

